Lap-drawing machine



P. NUCKOLS.

LAP DRAWING MACHINE.

0 2 9 1 L 3 av u A a nu m b a D L P M w M m m H P A 8 7 6 a. 1 5 3 1 5SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOR. K Zflzac/ZOZS WITNESS:

v MATTOMEY.

P. NUCKOLS.

LAP DRAWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.2, 1919.

LIVITNESS:

s 0. d 2 9a WK 1p C 1E F G 1 HH Z A a m m m P. NUCKOLS.

LAP DRAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2, 1919.

1,35 l 6'78, Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4- INVENTOR.

WITNESS.-

. fiauZMac/ao Z6 8) M ATTORNEY.

P. NUCKOLS.

LAP DRAWING MACHINE.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- INVENTOR. Paul/Vacizo 215 M W ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

V B M w M H m M M 8 7 if 6, s 1 E 5 m 3 M I 1 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

PAUL NUCKOLS, or CORDOVA, ALABAMA.

LAP-DRAWING MACHINE.

Application filed December 2, 1919. Serial No. 341,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL NUoKoLs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cordova, in the county of Walker and State of Alabama, haveinvented new and useful lmprovements in Lap-Drawing Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton mill machinery and has for its objectthe provision of a device whereby the fibers in a lap of cotton may bedrawn out and laid parallel prior to the entrance of the lap into thecarding machine, it being well known that heretofore thisparallelization has been ac complished at the drawing after the cottonhas been carded.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character whichis used in conjunction with the regular well known lap head and which isso constructed that it will cause the fibers in the lap to belaidparallel ready for the card, thus permitting the card teeth to catch thefibers by the ends instead of in the middle, thereby allowing the cardto do its work very efficiently with the production of less white wasteand the removal of more foreign matter as the fibers are parallel andlend themselves to the cleaning action of the card.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which isso constructed as to efiiciently perform its function in a quick andthorough manner independently of the use of various devices which haveheretofore been used, the use of my device eliminating, particularly,the necessity for the employment of the well known breaker card, sliverlap machine, and ribbon lap machine, and where the work is combed thefinisher card.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this characterwhich will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture,highly efficient in use, durable and labor saving in service, and ageneral improvement in the art.

WVith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of my showing the preferred formthereof,

Fig. 2 is a plan view,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view,

device,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A F 4 is a cross sectionalview,

F 1g. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified form of theinvention,

Fig. 6 shows a further modification, and

Fig. 7 shows a still further modification. Referring more particularlyto the draw ings, I have shown my device as used in conjunction with theordinary and well known type of lap head designated by the letter A andthis lap head includes a plurality of suitable rollers B about which istrained the lap C which is wound onto a roller D. As lap heads of thistype have been well known in the art for many years, a description ofthe operation thereof is deemed entirely unnecessary.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable supporting frame 10which is preferably, though not necessarily, bolted to the lap headframe by any suitable means. This frame 10 carries a longitudinally eX-tending traveling apron 11 which is trained about rollers 12 at the endsof the frame 10 and which is formed of canvas orother suitable material.The function of this apron is to deliver continually to the lap head Athe lap which is formed by my device. In carrying out my invention Ifurther employ a plurality of sets 13 of co-acting rollers, each ofwhich is independent in action but all of which produce laps leading tothe lap head A. Each set 13 comprises parallel superposed rows ofrollers, all the lowermost 14 of which and all three of the rearuppermost 15 of which are of the same diameter and the forward uppermostone of which 16 is of larger diameter; All these rollers in each set aredriven by the train of gears shown and as this particular arrangement ofgearing is well known in the art, it is believed that detaileddescription thereof is unnecessary in view ofthe fact that it is soclearly shown in the drawings. These rollers 14, 15 and 16 are journaledtransversely of the frame 10 and of course are fluted the properdistance to leave the proper cuffs at the end portions thereof.

Suspended from the axles of all the rollers 14, 15, and 16 in each set,are suitable rods 17 which have curved upper ends engaging the axles andwhich have their lower ends extending below the pulleys 11 and carryingadjustable weights 18 whereby the pressure of the rollers upon the lapmay be easily regulated. Also associated with each set 13 of rollers isa bracket structurej19 having slots 20 within which are disposed theends of the spindle 21 carrying the roll 22 of cotton to be treated. Itwill be observed that the sets 13 of rollers in this form are arrangedin the same horizontal plane and that the brackets 20 and rolls 22 ofcotton are also similarly arranged to provide the proper train.

The individual rollers 14, 15 and 16 are formed in the ordinary way withthe usual teeth 23 which are adapted to catch the fibers in the laps.

In order to catch the matter which should be removed from the cotton, Iprovide under each set 13 of rollers, a pan 24 which is disposedtransversely of the frame 10 and secured thereto either fixedly orremovably by anv proper means.

In the operation of the device, the rolls of cotton to be treated aredisposed with their spindles within the brackets 20 so as to be fed tothe sets of rollers of my device, instead of being passed through thesliver and ribbon lap machines, as is now the common practice. When thevarious rollers 22 are disposed upon the brackets 20, the ends of thecotton thereon are introduced between the rearmost rollers 14 and 15after which the action of these rollers, owing to the gearing, will drawthe lap between the upper and lower series of rollers in each set. Asthis is done the teeth 23 on the co-acting rollers will catch the fibersand as the gearing is such that the forward rollers rotate more rapidlythan the others, the ends of the fibers caught bv the teeth will bepulled, as will be apparent so that the fibers will be drawn out andlaid parallel. The action of the teeth 23 also removes the trash andother foreign matter in the cotton and this trash falls into the pan 24.The end of each sheet of cotton after leaving the associated set ofrollers, is deposited upon the constantly moving apron or conveyer l1and all the sheets are thus carried together to the lap head A, it beingpreferable to provide a pair of guide rollers 25 journaled transverselyof the frame 10 adjacent its connection with the lap head A; In this wayit will be seen that the sheet of cotton entering the lap head will belaminated and will be composed of sheets from all the rolls 22. The roll26 thus formed in the lap head will then be ready for the cardingmachine without further treatment.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of the device. In this form theprinciple is the same and the" same frame-work is provided as well asthe same number of sets of co-acting rollers. In this form, however, thesets of rollers are not all disposed in the same horizontal plane as itis seen that some of them are superposed and others are in staggeredrelation. Furthermore, in this arrangement each set of rollers hasassociated therewith an endless conveyer or belt whereby the sheet ofcotton acted upon by each set of rollers will be conducted to the laphead A. In other respects the operation of this form, as well as theconstruction, is the same as that of the previously described form.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the structure is practicallythe same as that shown in Fig. 5 except that interposed between the laphead A and the sets of coacting rollers is a series of guide rollers 30,3.1, 32 and 33, arranged in pairs and of gradually decreasing diameters.These last mentioned rollers are driven by gearing in a manner similarto the gearing for the sets of rollers. In other respects theconstruction of this form is the same as that shown in the previouslydescribed forms.

In Fig. 7 the structure is somewhat different. In this form I employ aframe 40 having solid bracket members 41 within which are engaged theends of the spindles of a plurality of rolls 42 of cotton to be treatedand these rolls are all arranged in horizontal alinement laterally withrespect to one another. Disposed beneath all of the rolls 42 is anendless continually moving apron or conveyer 43 which conducts thesheets of cotton from the different rolls to a pair of guide rollers 44journaled at the forward end of the frame 40. Interposed between thisframe 40 and the lap head vA is a frame 45 within which are journaledtwo sets 46 and 47 of transversely disposed suitably gear driven rollers48 which are individually of the same construction as the rollers in thefirst described form. The sheet of cotton formed by the pressingtogether of the sheets from the successive rolls 42, passes through andis acted upon by the two sets of co-acting rollers 46 and 47, afterwhich this final sheet is carried into the lap head A.

In all forms of the invention the action is the same as only thespecific arrangement of parts and location of the sets of rollers isvaried. In all forms it will be observed that the fibers will be caughtand laid parallel in a thorough and efficient manner all ready for thecard without any necessity for the utilization of the ordinary sliverand ribbon process heretofore used.

While I have shown and described the preferred forms of the device itwill of course be understood that I reserve the right to make whateverchanges in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts I desire,without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthesubjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In combination with a lap head, a lap drawing device comprising aframe, a plua traveling apron adapted to receive the.

sheets of cotton and deliver the same to said guide rollers, the rollersin each set being provided with co-acting teeth.

2. In combination with a lap head, a lap drawing device comprising aframe, a plurality of sets of rollers journaled transversely of theframe, means for driving said rollers, each set of rollers havingdisposed there adjacent the spindle of a roll of cotton to be treatedwith the sheet from the roll passing between the rollers in the set,means for varying the pressure of the rollers in each set upon thecotton sheet, co-acting teeth on the corresponding upper and lowerrollers in each set, the forward ones of said rollers traveling at agreater rate than the others, guide rollers disposed between said frameand the lap head, and a traveling conveyer conducting all of said sheetsto said guide rollers.

3. In combination with a lap head, a lap drawing device comprising aframe, bracket members carried bysaid frame and adapted to journallysupport the spindles of a plurality of rolls of sheet cotton to betreated, a set of rollers associated with each roll and arrangedadjacent the associated brackets,

drawing device comprising a frame, bracket members carried by said frameand adapted to journally support the spindles of a plurality of rollsof. sheet cotton to be treated, a set of rollers associated'with eachroll and arranged adjacent the associated brackets,

each set of rollers including upper and lower "rows cooperating forengagement with the sheet of cotton, means for driving the rollers ineach set,co-acting teeth formed on ,the corresponding upper and lowerrollers in each set, and means for conducting the sheet of cotton fromeach set of rollers to the lap head, said means comprising a pluralityof guide rollers interposed between said frame and said lap head.

5. In combination with a lap head, a lap drawing device comprising aframe, bracket members carried by said frame and adapted to journallysupport the spindles of a plurality of rolls of. sheet cotton-to betreated, a set of rollers associated with each roll and arrangedadjacent the associated brackets,

drawing device comprising a frame, bracket members carried by said frameand adapted to journally support the spindles of a plurality of rolls ofsheet cotton to be treated, a set of rollers associated with each' rolland arranged adjacent the associated brackets, each set of rollersincluding upper and lower rows cooperating for engagement with the sheetof cotton, means for driving the rollers in each set, co-acting teethformed on the corresponding upper' and lower rollers in each set, andmeans for conducting the sheet of cotton from each set of rollers tothelap head, said means comprising a plurality of guide rollers arrangedin cooperative relation and in pairs, the guide rollers in each pairbeing successively of decreasing diameters.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL NUCKOLS

